The bear sightings are inching closer and closer to Wallaceburg.
The St. Clair Region Conservation Authority (SCRCA) posted on social media today (July 5) that a bear was spotted near Highway 40.
“Just a note: There has been a confirmed bear sighting at the McKeough Floodway channel near Hwy 40,” SCRCA officials stated on Facebook.
This latest sighting is about 12-16 minutes by car from Wallaceburg, about 15.2 km away (see the map here.)
Frequent sightings
Multiple bear sightings have been reported in the area for the past month.
Jena Racher told the Sydenham Current her and a friend spotted one while driving on June 24 outside of Petrolia.
The Sarnia Observer reported that some students on a school bus spotted a bear near Rokeby Line and Tile Yard Road on Friday as well.
OPP officials said a resident of Plympton-Wyoming saw a black bear within an agricultural field in the area of Michigan Line and Hillsboro Road on June 2.
A bear was spotted on June 1 in the area of Cedarview Drive Lambton Shores in Lambton County.
The OPP say black bears are not strangers to Ontario.
“In the past few years we have seen bear and moose inhabit areas of Lambton County,” police officials said.
“The OPP recommend that if you encounter a black bear that appears to be a predatory nuisance; that you inform the Police Service of jurisdiction and or the Ministry of Natural Resources.”
Advice from the province
Emergency encounters: Bears want to avoid humans. Most encounters are not aggressive and attacks are rare. But if you feel a bear poses an immediate threat to personal safety, you need to act.
Call 911 or local police, if a bear:
– Enters a school yard when school is in session
– Enters or tries to enter a residence
– Wanders into a public gathering
– Kills livestock/pets and lingers at the site
– Stalks people and lingers at the site
Non-emergency encounters: Call the Bear Wise reporting line at 1-866-514-2327 (April 1-November 30) if a bear is:
– Roaming around, checking garbage cans
– Breaking into a shed where garbage or food is stored
– In a tree
– Pulling down a bird feeder or knocking over a barbecue
– Moving through a backyard or field but is not lingering
– Morguefile Photo
He…..I presume a lone male, poses no threat unless he is startled, but some of the reaction is over the top. just keep your eyes open.
I sure hope people leave it alone! I hope that hunters do not make a trophy out of the Bear. If you leave the Bear alone, it will leave you alone.
Hey Heather, two points to make on your comment. 1) there is no open season for bears in this area. 2) “hunters” will not shoot an animal out of season/ were there is no season. You are speaking about “poachers”! Poachers are criminals! Hunters abide by the laws, rules and regulations! Please don’t mix the two up!
There used to be bears this way like 65-75 years ago. When the farmers started to pasture out there cattle in the bush (forest) they ate the wild berries , which forced the Bears to go further north. It’s called the cycle of life now that the bush ( forest) are getting thick with wild berries there coming back. And I’m with Ken don’t mix hunters with poachers